Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra

A/N: So this is my first LoK fic. In honor of the show airing soon, and under the very likely suspicion that this scenerio will NOT be how it's played out, I am posting my own take on the infamous 'Korra's introduction to Mako and Bolin' scene.

Enjoy!

Introduction

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To say the situation was awkward was like saying the One Hundred Years War had been a minor scuffle. Bolin looked back and forth between his brother and the Avatar, feeling like he was suffocating in the booth the trio found themselves occupying. The tension between Mako and Korra was thick, each one swirling their tea lazily, avoiding eye contact but scowling whenever they stole glances at the other.

It had been such an innocent idea at first. After meeting Korra, introducing her to his older brother, and then convincing said brother that having the Avatar on their pro-bending team would make them unbeatable, Bolin had suggested that the newly formed group should venture to a pub to celebrate. Full of enthusiasm, Korra had heartily agreed, while Mako had kept quiet, catching his brother's eye and indicating he wanted to speak with him privately…

"No," Mako said, his tone sharp with finality, having pulled Bolin into the locker room of the dojo.

"Oh come on," Bolin pleaded. "It's the Avatar. You know, master bender of four elements, including water."

"And vigilantly, public nuisance, destroyer of public property, and out on bail," Mako added, quoting the headlines of yesterday's paper.

"Now that's hardly her fault," Bolin argued. "She told me it was all a big misunderstanding and that the chief of police has it out for her. And besides, she did help to arrest three gangsters."

"It won't work, Bolin. She draws too much attention."

"Exactly! Wherever she goes, so does the press. It's free publicity, and if she's on our team people will be watching us."

"Her. They'll be watching her," Mako stressed.

"Fine, her, but you and I will be beside her. We'll be a team, the Fire Ferrets. We'll be able to get sponsors, endorsements, and the championship."

Bolin paused, letting his words sink in. He knew Mako wanted the jackpot more than anything. The prize money meant easy street for the brothers. For the last twelve years Mako's sole worry had been keeping his brother fed, sheltered and protected. They lived day by day, their future never certain. But now there was the pro-bending grand prize money and Mako wanted it. He and Bolin could fight, had been forced to learn to defend themselves while scrounging on the streets, and under Toza's tutelage they had been able to hone their bending abilities. They had a real chance at the jackpot, only they were short a waterbender.

And whether Mako liked it or not, the Avatar was a waterbender.

A master waterbender.

"We could win, Mako. Korra will help us to win."

Bolin could see his brother faltering.

"I'll have to see her bend first," he finally said. "And we need to talk to Toza."

"Not a problem. I'll do it tomorrow," Bolin agreed, his face breaking into a dazzling grin. "And she is a great bender. Not bad on the eyes, either."

Bolin saw a nerve in Mako's jaw twitch and chuckled. The tick always appeared when Mako was really frustrated, particularly when he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Bolin resisted the impulse to clap his brother on the shoulder and gloat. He could do that later, after Korra helped them win.

"Alright, now let's go," Bolin suggested.

"No going out."

"Oh come on –"

"We don't have the money," Mako said, the tips of his ears going pink. "We have enough for rent and food for the next week and that's all."

"What about our change jar?" Bolin asked, referring to the cracked dish they kept on a side table in their living room. "There's gotta be at least a few silver pieces in there."

"There was," Mako drawled patronizingly, "until you needed to buy new boots last week."

"Oh…oh yeah," Bolin said, having the good grace to blush with a bit of shame as he rubbed the back of his neck.

The reason he had needed new boots was because a girl he had been dating spotted him out on the town with another girl. The jilted party had been a firebender and she had decided Bolin's feet were the perfect target for her formidable bending skills.

"Fine, no going out, but we should at least invite her to our place. You know, do something to commemorate the moment."

Mako didn't answer, just rolled his eyes and moved to leave the locker room. When he opened the door, Korra was waiting, but something felt off. She was trying too hard to look anywhere but at the brothers, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, acting far too nonchalant about Mako and Bolin's reemergence into the dojo.

Mako knew immediately that she had heard them. The little snoop had probably stood outside the door and listened through the cracks. It was a complete invasion of privacy, and it both embarrassed and enraged the firebender.

"So, what's the verdict?" Korra asked sweetly, her feigned innocence making Mako's lip curl.

"You're in!" Bolin exclaimed coming up to her with his palm raised. Triumphantly, Korra slapped Bolin's hand, her smugness only grating on Mako's high-strung nerves.

"Great! Now let's go out," she said, making her way to the door.

"Uh, actually, Korra –"

"New member buys, right?" she cut in, flashing a cheeky smile over her shoulder.

"Yeah! That's right!" Bolin agreed delightedly.

"No, you don't have to," Mako said harshly.

"Sure I do," she answered.

"Bolin and I can take care of it," Mako insisted, his stance wide, his golden glare challenging.

"It's not a big deal," Korra replied kindly.

"It's fine," the older boy grumbled, his pride not allowing himself to accept the Avatar's charity. "Come on, there's a noodle house near here. The food is good."

So Mako led the way, Korra and Bolin following close behind…

It all went downhill from there.

When they had arrived at the noodle house the place had been packed, standing room only. Mako was about to suggest they abort their plans when the owner of the restaurant spotted Korra. Recognizing her as the infamous Avatar, she and the brothers were treated like the King of Ba Sing Se. They were escorted into the main dining room, given the best booth in the house (after a rather disgruntled businessman and his mistress were kicked out) and their food was served in record time despite the dinner crowd.

Bolin was impressed, gaping with wide-eyed delight at all the perks that came with being friends with the Avatar. He was enjoying himself until he noticed that, with each gratuity handed to them, Mako's mood became sourer, his eyes colder, and his attitude just plain hostile.

Korra picked up on this as well, and had tried to lighten the mood, telling the brothers a few jokes, what it was like growing up in the South Pole, even regaling them with a dramatic interpretation of her first day in Republic City, culminating in her legendary arrest by the metalbending Special Forces.

Mako didn't even crack a grin. All he did was scowl. Realizing that she wasn't breeching the older brother's firm shell, Korra's own attitude started to dampen, until she was quietly regarding her tea and shooting annoyed glances at Mako.

"So…" Bolin exhaled, looking hopelessly between the pair. "Does anyone mind if I have the last dumpling?"

They didn't answer, so Bolin went for it, loudly chewing the pork filled cuisine as he tried to think of something to get Mako and Korra on speaking terms.

"Hey, Bolin," Korra suddenly said, "check this out."

Holding her hand over her tea, Korra effortlessly bended the liquid out of the cup and into the air. It was in the shape of a perfect sphere, floating lazily above her palm before she manipulated it to start taking other forms, first the statue of Avatar Aang, then Naga, and finally the Fire Nation flame emblem.

Bolin was transfixed, in awe of how easily Korra bended the tea. Mako watched as well, his eyes finally locking with Korra's. She was staring right back, the blue of her eyes sharp and steely, challenging. With a flick of her wrist, the tea bent back into the cup, not a single drop spilt.

"That was amazing!" Bolin crowed.

"If you think that was amazing, watch this," Korra bragged. Reclining in the booth as comfortably as if she were in her own home, Korra raised her hand and slapped her palm through the humid air. When she held her hand out before her, there were sheaths of water surrounding each finger.

"Wow…" Bolin sighed.

"My waterbending sifu taught this to me."

"You can make your own water?" Bolin asked, astounded.

"No, but I can pull it out of the air. I mean, if the air's sticky enough," she explained, bending the bit of water into a far off corner of the noodle house. Smugly, she turned her attention back to Mako, shoulders set back confidently to receive his praise.

"Hmph," was all the firebender had to say.

"That's it?" Korra asked, her brow furrowing into a deep grimace.

"What more do you want?" Mako asked, his tone flat.

"I'm good. Better than good, I'm great," Korra defended.

"Are you a master?" Mako prodded.

"I'm the Avatar!" Korra exclaimed as if that was all the answer the boy needed.

"Exactly," Mako grunted, his own floodgates crashing down. "Do you know how not to be the Avatar? How to work as part of team?"

"It can't be any harder than learning how to bend four elements, you smug jerk," she hissed.

"Hey guys, maybe we should call it a night?" Bolin offered, doing his best to placate the pair.

"Spoiled brat," Mako barked.

"Arrogant hog-monkey!"

"Hysterical flooz –"

"Let's settle this in the ring!" Bolin suggested, practically screaming.

"Name the time and place," Korra responded.

"Tomorrow, nine o'clock, at the dojo. Bring everything you got." Mako concluded his dare by gulping back the rest of his tea and slamming down the cup like a judge's gavel.

Not one to be outdone, and certainly not one to not have the last word, Korra slammed her palm down on the middle of the table.

"See you tomorrow, hotman," she said, her words sounding strangely like a threat. She rose from the table, keeping her eyes trained on Mako, trying to break him, but Bolin new it was a futile endeavor. Mako was like a wall. Letting their words hang in the air, Korra raised her hand from the table, and with a defiant pout of her lip, she left the brothers in the booth.

The three gold pieces on the table shone like insults under Mako's nose.

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"I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong."
― Lemony Snicket

Did you like it? Let me know! No flames, please and thank you.